内部审计意见的重要性2【外文翻译】

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The Importance of Internal Audit Opinion

As their role expands, many auditors are providing opinions on governance, risk management, and internal control.

Internal auditors play an important role in their organization's corporate governance, internal control structure, risk management analysis, and financial reporting process. In the past decade, auditors actively have provided management with consulting and assurance services to assist in compliance with regulations such as the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2OO2. Internal audit resources also have been expanded to satisfy the high demand for services to assist in executive certifications of internal controls and financial reports.

In the coming years, internal auditors may be expected to expand their role to assume more responsibilities in improving risk management, reducing organizational complexity and costs, and participating in developing strategic and governance processes. For example, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC’s) Proxy Disclosure Enhancements rules released in December require companies listed on U.S. exchanges to disclose their governance measures, including their board structure, the board's oversight of risk management, and its relationship with executive compensation policies and practices. Richard Chambers, IIA president and CEO, recently told Web CPA, "The new proxy requirements will place greater pressure on boards to demonstrate their role in the oversight of risk management, and by extension, this presents both challenges and opportunities for chief audit executives (CAE’s) and their internal audit teams."

The proxy disclosure rules create opportunities for internal auditors to report on and provide their opinions about their organization's compliance with its own governance and risk assessment requirements. In particular, auditors may need to express opinions in the areas of corporate governance, risk management, and internal controls.

In expressing an opinion on these three areas, internal auditors can follow guidance

set out in The IIA Practice Guide, Formulating and Expressing Internal Audit Opinions (see "Expressing Opinions" on page 49). Moreover, The IIA’s Internal Audit Standards Board has recently proposed a new professional practices standard. Standard 2450: Overall Opinions, that details requirements for the work that internal auditors must do if they choose to provide an overall opinion. In addition, proposed Standard 2010. A2 requires CAE’s to "determine stakeholder expectations for internal audit opinions and other conclusions, including the levels of assurance required, through discussion with senior management and the board."

Opinions should disclose all relevant information about the effectiveness of the organization's governance and focus on its sustainability in all areas of financial, social, ethical, and environmental activity.

Corporate Governance

Improving corporate governance and enhancing the reliability of financial statements are receiving significant attention from lawmakers, regulators, the financial community, standardssetting bodies, and the accounting profession. This well-deserved attention stems from the financial crisis of the past two years, widely publicized business failures, high-profile financial statement frauds, the lack of vigilant oversight by boards of directors and audit committees, irresponsible management, inadequate governance structures, and ineffective audit functions.

A close working relationship between the audit committee and internal auditing can improve the effectiveness of corporate governance. First, the independence and objectivity of auditors can be strengthened when they report their findings and opinions directly to the audit committee. Second, by reviewing internal audit opinions before they are disseminated to the full board, management, regulatory bodies, and other intended users, audit committees can fulfill their oversight responsibilities related to financial reporting, internal controls, risk management, external auditing, whistleblowing, ethics, and taxes.

Historically, publicly listed companies have not reported their corporate governance activities to the extent that they report their financial activities. As that has begun to change in recent years, corporate governance reporting has gone beyond

the mandatory periodic financial reports to encompass the organization's vision, strategies, mission, and board effectiveness. Internal auditors can form an opinion on their organization's corporate governance and communicate their findings to interested stakeholders, including the board, executives, external auditors, regulatory agencies, and investors. These opinions should disclose all relevant information about the effectiveness of the organization's corporate governance and focus on its sustainability performance in all areas of financial, social, ethical, and environmental activity. Moreover, they should provide transparent financial and nonfinancial information on key performance indicators and their impact on all stakeholders as well as assess the organization's responsiveness to the needs of those parties. Expressing Opinions

As more and more internal audit departments have begun providing audit opinions to stakeholders, a need for guidance has arisen. Proposed IIA Standard 2450 takes a step in that direction by describing the work auditors must do before they express an opinion. In addition, an IIA Practice Guide, Formulating and Expressing Internal Audit Opinions, provides considerable information and advice that auditors should study before they embark on offering audit opinions. The chart below summarizes some of the Practice Guide's key recommendations.

Relevance

The Practice Guide provides guidance for internal auditors, boards, executive and operating management, regulatory bodies, and other assurance providers who have an obligation to form, review, or assess an opinion on an organization's governance, risk management, and internal control systems. Internal audit opinions are important because they address stakeholders' concerns. Those opinions are likely to be disclosed to the public, which makes them a crucial communication channel. The criteria used to develop audit opinions should be transparent and stated in the audit report. Planning

Certain factors need to be considered when planning for the opinion:

? Auditors should assess whether it will be a macro-level opinion based on the results of multiple audit projects, or a micro-level opinion based on a single project or a

series of short-term projects.

? If the opinion is positive, then more evidence and a broader work scope are required. ? Auditors should determine what kind of evidence they will need to prove that their opinion is correct.

? There should be agreement on the criteria that wilt be used in forming the opinion. ? Auditors should consider carefully the time that the opinion is issued and the scope of the coverage.

? There must be appropriate management support for the internal audit plan. Evidence Gathering

When expressing macro-level opinions, auditors should:

? Specify the purpose for which the opinion will be used.

? Detail the audit procedures and guidance that is used in formulating and expressing internal audit opinions.

? Gather sufficient and competent evidence relevant to the management of a strategic risk-assessment process.

? Identify the criteria for satisfactory performance.

It is possible to express a limited macro-level opinion if auditors aren't able to collect sufficient evidence;however, the potential for a limited opinion should be recognized in advance during the planning process. All the appropriate methodologies should be established in advance.

When expressing micro-level opinions, auditors should:

? Establish a clear criteria framework for drawing conclusions. Using a grading scale on any level requires a well-defined evaluation structure, and the scales must be consistent over the course of years in which the audit is conducted.

Reporting

The chief audit executive is the best individual to provide assurance on a macro-level opinion. Positive assurance implies a lot of responsibility and should be used with caution and consideration.

Grading or color coding is an appropriate way to formulate an opinion. Grades used in expressing an opinion should be agreed upon by the intended users.

Ideally, prior recommendations also should be included in opinions. An opinion may be qualified, which means that it is satisfactory overall but there are some concerns and reservations.

When the results are ready for evaluation, auditors should consider:

? Materiality — Residual risk that the business objective will not be achieved should be assessed.

? Impact — it is important to understand what kind of impact audit opinions will have on the business. The scope of the issues is also important.

Moreover, overall audit opinions should be expressed on corporate governance measures, internal controls, and risk assessments.

The quality and reliability of internal audit opinions depends on transparency, constructive recommendations, and the objectivity, independence, and status of the CAE signing the report.

Risk Management

Organizations of all types, sizes, and complexity are facing a variety of risks that affect the reliability of financial statements and effectiveness of internal controls. Effective assessment and appropriate reporting on the organization's risk management requires internal auditors to understand the risk assessment process from start to finish.

Before auditors can formulate an opinion on risk management, they must identify and measure risks, and weigh those risks against potential rewards to create sustainable performance. Auditors should ensure that the established risk assessment process is improving strategic decision-making and supporting the achievement of organizational objectives. Also, they should provide adequate risk assessment information to the board and senior management to enable them to make risk-informed, strategic decisions. Moreover, auditors should provide assurance and consulting services to the board, audit committee, and management on the organization's risks and risk appetite as well as the effectiveness of the process designed to manage the risks and minimize their impact on financial reporting. Internal auditors at U.S.-listed companies should report on the company's compliance